By CASEY NEILL
POLICE have central Dandenong pedestrians in their sights, with improving safety their goal.
Senior Sergeant Scott Brennan said officers would conduct an operation in the coming weeks to change pedestrian behaviour and stop serious injuries.
And there’ll be $72 fines for anyone caught flouting safety and the law.
“We’ve noticed this year an increase in collisions involving pedestrians,” he said.
“In the majority of these collisions, the pedestrians are at fault.
“Common causes are pedestrians not using pedestrian crossings.”
Inspector Bruce Kitchen said there’d been a 20 per cent increase on last year, several serious injuries and a fatality.
“It’s off a low base, but it is a concern for us,” he said.
Police will target Lonsdale, Clow and Cleeland streets between 3pm and 5pm on Tuesdays, Fridays and Saturdays.
Sen Sgt Brennan said pedestrians, particularly visitors to Dandenong Market, regularly crossed against the lights and away from crossings.
“They’re concentrating on getting to where they’re going, rushing,” he said.
“It sounds like a low-level offence.
“But when you look at the impact it can have, it’s something we take seriously.”
He said there’d be covert and overt operations nabbing people crossing against red lights and when they can’t reach the other side before the light is red, failing to cross by the shortest route, spending more time on the road than necessary, or within 20 metres of a pedestrian crossing.
“So we can get people to change what they’re doing,” he said.
